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The Christmas war is coming
Vanity | 11/18 | Wil H

Posted on 11/18/2006 5:53:56 AM PST by Wil H

The Christmas shopping season is upon us and it seems that we have won the opening skirmish it the war with secularism to stamp out Christmas. Walmart have agreed to let Christmas back into their stores this year. That is great news but I am sure it is the power of the almighty dollar rather than the Almighty himself that drove them to that decision, but then, God does move in mysterious ways.

This year I am going shopping prepared and I invite you to join me in the campaign.

I am going to carry a number of letters, sealed in envelopes and addressed to the Store Manager. Any time I don't find any evidence of Christmas celebration in a store I will give the manager a letter and leave.

Here is what the letter says:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I came to your store today with the express purpose of spending a significant percentage of my $XXXX (put what you like in here) Christmas shopping budget.

However I note that your store chooses to no longer participate in the celebration of Christmas and therefore you don’t qualify to receive my Christmas dollars.

A quintessential part of Christmas is the sharing of the joy of giving and doing so in festive Christmas environment, it is estimated 95% of Americans celebrate the holiday and fortunately for them, and I, there are many other stores that embrace the Christmas spirit.

My Christmas spending, as I am certain many other’s, will be done with those that wish to share the spirit of holiday. Should you ever decide to participate again I will consider returning as a customer, until that time, ALL my business goes elsewhere.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXX

Merry Christmas

If a substantial number of people did this, maybe the message that Walmart got would reach the other retail outlets and perhaps we could get our Christmas back into the public square. If the stores all start decorating for Christmas again do you not think think they will pressure the municipality to decorate the streets appropriately?

This year, Prescott AZ has street banners on downtown lamp posts declaring "Prescott, Your Christmas City" I might just take a trip there to do my Christmas shopping.


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: christmas; culturewar; walmart
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To: SuziQ
"By making all this fuss, it DOES make the celebration of Jesus's Birth seem like nothing more than a commercial endeavor, which is, I assume, NOT what you want."

What I really do not want is, people like you telling me what I should or should not do, or what I should or should not be offended about. You have a right to your opinion, but you don't have any right whatsoever to tell others how they should think or behave in regards to this issue. I will definitely let the businesses (who make it their official policy not to use the word Christmas in their establishment) know that they will not be getting my business. If you call that "screaming, yelling and making a fuss", then so be it. That's exactly what I intend to do--with or without your permission.
101 posted on 11/18/2006 8:33:48 AM PST by dmw (Aren't you glad you use common sense, don't you wish everybody did?)
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To: Wil H

I like that idea -- only spend your Christmas dollars where Christmas is acknowledged. JUST ACKNOWLEDGED!

Otherwise, leave the note and move on to the next store.


102 posted on 11/18/2006 8:35:15 AM PST by Silly (Don't make baby Jesus cry!)
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To: Wil H
Yesterday, I got a mailing from the Post Office entitled Holiday shipping & mailing guide. Nowhere does it say it is a Christmas guide, or even mention Christmas. It does give dates to Get your holiday packages there on time. It gives an Express Mail date of December 22. My question for all Jewish Freepers is: If you mail your package on December 22, will it get there for Chanukah as promised by the Post Office?
103 posted on 11/18/2006 8:37:34 AM PST by superdad
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To: Kirkwood
They didn't make up a secular holiday and decide to also call it Christmas.

I understand this, but I suppose that was lost in my post.

I mean to say that even if the atheists and ACLU objected to the term Christmas, they would have to challenge the federal law making it a federal holiday. To refuse to say "Merry Christmas" to folks because you object to the religious aspect ignores the fact that it is also a non-denominational, government-declared holiday, which makes it, de facto and de jure, a secular holiday we consider a HOLY day.

104 posted on 11/18/2006 8:40:34 AM PST by Alas Babylon!
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To: stuartcr
That is the part that is wrong.

Agreed

105 posted on 11/18/2006 8:42:47 AM PST by Live and let live conservative
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To: Wil H

Three stores I don't frequent..
Best Buys
Target
Burlington Coat Factory

They have terrible return policies.
The 'Christmas' stance of at least two of them merely adds to my avoidance.

I'm sick of Winter Festival, Holiday Tree and the like.
No 'Christmas', no money.


106 posted on 11/18/2006 8:58:59 AM PST by Vinnie (You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Jihads You)
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To: kittymyrib
clears the table for sex

Table sex isn't necessarily incompatible with Christmas, now. Still, it would be nice if Best Buy could at least acknowledge the holiday (in a different ad, perhaps).

107 posted on 11/18/2006 9:08:28 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: dogbyte12

No flames from me. It occured to me last year that it might be said that some folks are trying to re-commericialize Christmas after decades of complaining it was too commericial.

Those who chew out salesfolks for saying "Happy Holidays" are going way too far, IMO.

Still, I agree that merchants need to be called out for calling a Christmas tree a "Holiday Tree." Come on!


108 posted on 11/18/2006 9:11:46 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: Larry Lucido

That is the thing. For years and years growing up, I heard that Christmas was way too commercialized. It was all about commerce, and business and not about the spirit of christmas. Flash forward to O'Reilly and Gibson, and now we are told that commercial interests aren't supporting Christmas enough.

I actually was in the Christmas is too commercialized camp, so this crusade I don't buy into at all. Christmas is not right after Halloween. In my family, it is celebrated on the 24th and 25th. Period. We might go shopping earlier, but we don't expect clerks to recognize Christmas on Black Friday in November. Come on. I want my religion in my church, not in my SuperMegaMart.


109 posted on 11/18/2006 9:16:04 AM PST by dogbyte12
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To: Kirkwood

particularly the slut who clears the table for sex when she sees her boyfriend at the door with a "happy holiday" Best Buy package"

Wow, is your mind in the gutter! She clears the table to open the package. Still, it is a stupid ad that actually makes me want to buy fewer gifts.




No way...I work in a trading room filled with guys and the news channels are always on....when she bends over clears a table and starts moaning.,,,,,everybody's heads shoots up....but on the other hand it is a bunch of 30 something guys.


110 posted on 11/18/2006 9:17:20 AM PST by Blackirish
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To: dmw
What I really do not want is, people like you telling me what I should or should not do, or what I should or should not be offended about.

Why not, isn't that what YOU'RE doing?

111 posted on 11/18/2006 9:20:02 AM PST by SuziQ
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To: Wil H
It's all business. Commerce. The Federal Government, AKA 'The USA' was formed to promote commerce. The Pres is usually a noted businessman. The USA is commerce, beginning to end, top to bottom. A distinction should be made between The USA and America.
112 posted on 11/18/2006 9:21:42 AM PST by RightWhale (RTRA DLQS GSCW)
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To: SuziQ
"Why not, isn't that what YOU'RE doing?"

Nope, not at all. I have not suggested to anyone as to how they should deal with this issue. All I have said is, I am not going to do business with those businesses who make it their official policy to prohibit the words "Merry Christmas". Seems you are only hearing (or reading) what you want to hear, because if you read my posts you would know that I am not telling anyone how they should or should not respond to this issue--unlike you.

Merry Christmas SuziQ.
113 posted on 11/18/2006 9:39:15 AM PST by dmw (Aren't you glad you use common sense, don't you wish everybody did?)
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To: Diverdogz
Overt materialism aside (it's not just something that occurs in Christmas season), it is a cultural flashpoint. Most Christians do the things you mention there all year around. It is not folly to care about the fact that this is an easily identifiable flashpoint of exactly how the left has crept into the American consciousness in just the last 10-15 years.

"Merry Christmas" has only recently become controversial. And it is a pity.

114 posted on 11/18/2006 9:40:29 AM PST by Sam's Army (Merry Sectarian Commercial Event and Happy New Euro-American Calendar Year!)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

The Hobby Lobby wasn't too busy, but if I'd driven another half mile, I could have been stuck in traffic all afternoon.


115 posted on 11/18/2006 9:44:17 AM PST by Tax-chick (My remark was stupid, and I'm a slave of the patriarchy. So?)
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To: Sam's Army

That is exactly the point. It isn't just about the word Christmas, it's about how the left continues to secularize America and marginalize Christians. Thanks for bringing clarity to this issue Sam.


116 posted on 11/18/2006 9:47:12 AM PST by dmw (Aren't you glad you use common sense, don't you wish everybody did?)
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To: dogbyte12
"I am prepared to be flamed."

No flames from me, I think some have more overt experiences with how far the secular left wants to go in this regard than others...so, let me share:

The last "Holiday Party" I attended a few years ago actually had a representative from human resources stand with the hired DJ and either accept or reject songs based on whether they mentioned words like "Holy", "Christmas", etc..you get the idea.

Now, I guess it could be the case that one person with "panties up in a twist" (to use your phrase) could have raised some legal argument; but that just reinforces the point as to how times have changed and how weak we seem to be as a culture anymore. Everyone else's holidays are OK to be mentioned by name and even celebrated/recognized...but "Christmas" remains a flashpoint.

Why?

117 posted on 11/18/2006 9:49:20 AM PST by Sam's Army (Merry Sectarian Commercial Event and Happy New Euro-American Calendar Year!)
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To: Wil H

My entire family (wife, parents, kids) has decided this year to almost completely forgo any material recognition of Christmas. We are getting each other exactly one nominal material item and will spend the season in peace, celebrating the season and not worshipping at the foot of Madison Avenue. My children, who are all under 18 and living at home, were displeased at first (sadly, we've *really* gone overboard their entire lives), but are beginning to understand why this is a good thing and I have some level of confidence by the time Christmas is here will be completely with the program.

So, no Best Buy, Target, or what have you this year. I expect that I will be able to complete all of my shopping in an hour or less, hopefully on a lunch break one day when there won't even be crowds to deal with.


118 posted on 11/18/2006 9:52:41 AM PST by ravensandricks
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To: ravensandricks

What a great idea!


119 posted on 11/18/2006 10:03:38 AM PST by Tax-chick (My remark was stupid, and I'm a slave of the patriarchy. So?)
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To: Wil H

bump


120 posted on 11/18/2006 10:08:56 AM PST by lowbridge (Got my own set of keys to the Rovian Weather and Earthquake Machine.)
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